Electric Vehicles Lag Behind Gas Counterparts In Resale Value

The Detroit Free Press reports electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt aren't garnering the same residual values as gas vehicles.

The report cites data from Kelly Blue Book which estimates the 2012 Nissan Leaf will hold around 20% of its value after five years while a 2012 Nissan Sentra will hold around 30%. The 2012 Chevrolet Volt is predicted to hold around 30% while a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze will hold 38%.

Auto Leasing Guide (ALG), another pricing service estimates the residual values of the Leaf and Volt about a point higher than KBB.

Now, the residual value estimates don't take into account the $7,500 federal tax credit on EVs. When you do, the values for EVs and gas vehicles are similar. That's due people purchasing the EV at a lower price.

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Well duh. Residuals are based on the MSRP, but if you look at the "effective" residual (i.e., price after tax credits), you'll see that the Volt has extremely high residuals for an American car. This translates into low lease payments. For someone spending $250-$300 a month on gasoline, the Volt is a no-brainer, IMO.